B-Tech student killed in police firing on SP protestors

TNNJan 10, 2008, 03.31am IST

LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party cadre went berserk in different parts of the state after its state working president Shivpal Yadav and MP Akhilesh Yadav were arrested late on Tuesday night. One protester was killed in Etawah, even as chief minister Mayawati said SP leaders should shun violent forms of agitation. She threatened severe action against those trying to vitiate the atmosphere, including SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Trouble started when student leaders of the SP tried to hold ministers Nakul Dubey and Rakeshdhar Tripathi hostage when they had gone to attend a function at the Jai Narain PG College on Tuesday. The police resorted to a lathi-charge to disburse the students.

Following this, SP state working president Shivpal Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav, brother and son respectively of SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, along with other senior leaders resorted to a dharna near the SSP office late on Tuesday night.

Demanding release of the arrested party workers, the SP leaders entered into a fracas with the police. Shivpal Singh Yadav was reportedly manhandled by the police. The police arrested both Shivpal and Akhilesh Yadav along with other SP leaders only to release them later in the night.

As political temperatures rose, SP leaders on Wednesday resorted to protests in several parts of the state condemning police action. In Saifai, the native village of the Mulayam Singh Yadav clan, a mob of SP supporters pelted stones at the police. The police opened fire, killing a B-Tech student, Mukesh Yadav. Ms Mayawati said she has ordered a probe into the incident by the Kanpur divisional commissioner.

Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, she said youth who were arrested while protesting on Tuesday were anti-socials and not students. She said they had gone to create trouble at the college at the instigation of the SP leaders, and that her government would not allow anti-socials to disturb the atmosphere and break the rule of law. She said strict action would be taken against those who resort to violent protests, and warned SP workers to mend their ways.

Ms Mayawati said if SP leaders, including Mr Mulayam, try to protect such anti-socials, action would be taken against them also. "I have taken action against MPs and MLAs of my own government, and would not hesitate to take such steps against other too," she added.